What are two of the most important items that make a racecar go? How about a transmission and some tires? That is where Abruzzi Transmission & Converters and Hoosier Racing Tire come into play. With their award-winning products, the Summit SuperSeries prize dragster, curently being constructed at American Race Cars, will feature only the best, championship-winning products which adds to what makes this prize so desirable. Marco Abruzzi at Abruzzi Transmissions & Converters and Farron Lubbers at Hoosier are long time supporters of the IHRA Summit SuperSeries program and the dragster build and the IHRA is proud to again feature their products on the Summit SuperSeries Dragster.

*Over the coming weeks the International Hot Rod Association will be taking an in-depth look at the parts and the people that make the Summit SuperSeries prize package the greatest prize package in all of motorsports. The Summit SuperSeries winners in Top ET, Mod ET and Junior Dragster at the Summit World Finals will each take home an elaborate prize package courtesy of the many great companies that remain dedicated to the grassroots racer. Thank you to all of our great sponsors and friends who help make this incredible program possible*

Two-time IHRA Top Sportsman World Champion Marco Abruzzi and his staff at Abruzzi Racing Transmissions and Converters will again supply the transmission and converter for the Summit SuperSeries dragster.

The customer area of the Warren, Ohio shop is decorated in winner circle’s pictures. Dozens of them from what seem like every drag racing series, monster trucks and even burnout competitions in Australia. We’re told that they have champions on six continents. There is a trophy case with an army of Ironmen and Wally’s that belong to Marco, but he tells us he is most proud of the success of his customers.

“Every year we run an ad congratulating all of our finalists for that year. Big or small races, we like to recognize everyone who reached a final. It is my favorite piece of advertising we do each year.”

The team at Abruzzi will be building a Real Deal Powerglide and Money Maker converter and we thought we would take a tour and see what went into building championship winning transmissions and torque converters.

The Real Deal starts with a two-piece SFI case from Reid. After the 8 clutch drum is assembled, it is installed along with a billet 1.80 gear set and billet output shaft. Next up for the installation is the pump, Aerospace input shaft and Abruzzi Pro Tree trans brake to round out the major components. A deep aluminum oil pan and locking dipstick are added. From Abruzzi’s own CNC mills and lathes, come the billet aluminum servo and cover, billet shorty cover and overflow rank. Like every transmission that leaves Abruzzi Transmissions and Converters, once assembled, this Real Deal will go over to the dyno building where it is run on the transmission dyno to verify line pressure, trans brake release time and shift operation.

The Money Maker converter design is the result of thousands of ongoing test runs made with both Marco’s personal cars and a fleet of vehicles of every configuration that they use for testing. The Money Maker is built from all new parts including billet steel cover, steel strator, pump and turbine. The fins of the pump are furnace brazed and hand TIG welded before assembly. After Marco has selected the right configuration for a customer’s combination, it is assembled and welded on Super Flow converter welder. After the welding is completed, it is dynamically computer balanced on Super Flow converter balancer. Finally, it is leak tested and sent off to the paint booth.

IHRA Drag Racing and Hoosier Racing Tires have gone hand-in-hand for years. So when IHRA approached Hoosier about contributing its tires for the Summit SuperSeries dragster, it was a no-brainer.

“That is the backbone of our drag racing program, is those type of racers,” said Farron Lubbers, Product Manager at Hoosier Racing Tire. “The pros and the guys on TV get to shine, but down in the trenches, that’s where the backbone of our program is at, with the good sportsman racers.”

The lucky winner of this year’s dragster will have his car already fit with Hoosier’s top-of-the-line tires. They will be the 33.5/17.0-16 C06 tires that the company prides itself on. Any driver that slides into the seat will be pleased by the results and longevity the tires will provide.

“That’s a really good all-around tire,” Lubber said. “You can run it on a slow car or you can run it on a fast car. It’s going to be really consistent and it should last for a long time.”

Started in the early 50s in Indiana by Robert “Bob” Newton and his wife Joyce, Hoosier has grown to become the largest race tire manufacturer in the world. All of its “Tires Designed for Champions” are made in the USA and can be found on cars in all corners of racing. When it comes to drag racing, Hoosier is one of the most respected names in the game today.

Especially important to Hoosier is the fact that the car will be driven by the type of racer that it has built its company around. The hotbed of drivers that live and breathe the sport, but don’t necessarily have the resources to make it to every national event give Hoosier comfort and support, something the company wanted to give back to the person who is lucky enough to take the Summit SuperSeries dragster for a spin.

Lubbers also said that the company wants to keep its long-standing relationship with IHRA, something made extra important by the recent changes in ownership within the racing organization. “We’re excited,” Lubbers said. “Hopefully the new owners will take it to another level and we can just keep on going with them.”

The added cost of the four tires is around $1,200 adding to the lure of one of IHRA’s biggest prizes.